Philadelphia Music Theater Works

Production History

The Philadelphia Music Theater Works has quickly established itself as one of our city's most promising and most talked about new creative forces in the theater. We are proud to have successfully produced inventive and inspired performances you won't find anywhere else in town:

	Our sold-out, inaugural FRESH: New Musicals. Stripped., a groundbreaking performance of new work for the musical theater - the scope of which had never been seen in Philadelphia - FRESH brought together over half a dozen new writers for the musical theater (including both Philly writers and beyond) and a cast of Philly singing actors, Broadway stars, Barrymore Award winners and many more for an unforgettable evening of theater. June 13, 2008 @ 8PM \| The Ethical Society Building Hosted by Tom Dooley and Jeremiah Downes With performances by Sarah Bolt, Mat Burrow, Billy Bustamante, Amanda Brizzi, Jeremiah Downes, Jillian Louis, Stearns Matthews, Joy Mayweather, Kimberly Rehfuss, Fred Ross, Jeremy Scott and the original cast of Jailbirds Musical Direction by Christopher Ertelt
	A highly acclaimed, sold-out, staged reading of Philly composer Charles Gilbert's Watch the Birdie at the Walnut Street Studio 5. August 8-9, 2008 @ 8PM \| Walnut Street Theater Studio 5 Cast: Claudia Carlsson, Michael Doherty, Sheira Feuerstein, Alex Keiper, Stearns Matthews and Jason Michael Directed by Jeremiah Downes Musical Staging by Nancy Kantra Music Direction by Christopher Ertelt
	In January we brought to Philly the 2008 Richard Rodgers Award winner Ryan Scott Oliver in an original, developmental evening of songs from this celebrated new voice in the American musical theater. The Ryan Scott Oliver Project included performances from an entirely local cast which featured Barrymore Award winners and nominees. January 8, 2009 @ 8PM \| The Ethical Society Building With performances by Mat Burrow, Jeremiah Downes, Sarah Gliko, Colleen Hazlett-O'Brien, Alex Keiper and Michael Philip O'Brien Directed by Billy Bustamante Music Direction by Christoper Ertelt Conceived & Developed by Ryan Scott Oliver and Billy Bustamante
	And this summer, we brought yet another new and exciting voice to our audience with a workshop featuring the music of fledgling songwriter Joey Contreras in This Thing Called Love. Presented in cooperation with the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts July 19-20, 2009 @ 8PM \| Laurie Beechman Cabaret Theater at the University of the Arts Cast: Laura Catlaw, Joey Contreras, Jeremiah Downes, Sarah Gliko, Brad Greer, Michael Linden and Janet Rowley Conceived & Developed by Joey Contreras and Jeremiah Downes Musical Staging by Jeremiah Downes Music Supervision by Christopher Ertelt

	Our sold-out, inaugural FRESH: New Musicals. Stripped., a groundbreaking performance of new work for the musical theater - the scope of which had never been seen in Philadelphia - FRESH brought together over half a dozen new writers for the musical theater (including both Philly writers and beyond) and a cast of Philly singing actors, Broadway stars, Barrymore Award winners and many more for an unforgettable evening of theater. June 13, 2008 @ 8PM \| The Ethical Society Building Hosted by Tom Dooley and Jeremiah Downes With performances by Sarah Bolt, Mat Burrow, Billy Bustamante, Amanda Brizzi, Jeremiah Downes, Jillian Louis, Stearns Matthews, Joy Mayweather, Kimberly Rehfuss, Fred Ross, Jeremy Scott and the original cast of Jailbirds Musical Direction by Christopher Ertelt
	A highly acclaimed, sold-out, staged reading of Philly composer Charles Gilbert's Watch the Birdie at the Walnut Street Studio 5. August 8-9, 2008 @ 8PM \| Walnut Street Theater Studio 5 Cast: Claudia Carlsson, Michael Doherty, Sheira Feuerstein, Alex Keiper, Stearns Matthews and Jason Michael Directed by Jeremiah Downes Musical Staging by Nancy Kantra Music Direction by Christopher Ertelt
	In January we brought to Philly the 2008 Richard Rodgers Award winner Ryan Scott Oliver in an original, developmental evening of songs from this celebrated new voice in the American musical theater. The Ryan Scott Oliver Project included performances from an entirely local cast which featured Barrymore Award winners and nominees. January 8, 2009 @ 8PM \| The Ethical Society Building With performances by Mat Burrow, Jeremiah Downes, Sarah Gliko, Colleen Hazlett-O'Brien, Alex Keiper and Michael Philip O'Brien Directed by Billy Bustamante Music Direction by Christoper Ertelt Conceived & Developed by Ryan Scott Oliver and Billy Bustamante
	And this summer, we brought yet another new and exciting voice to our audience with a workshop featuring the music of fledgling songwriter Joey Contreras in This Thing Called Love. Presented in cooperation with the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts July 19-20, 2009 @ 8PM \| Laurie Beechman Cabaret Theater at the University of the Arts Cast: Laura Catlaw, Joey Contreras, Jeremiah Downes, Sarah Gliko, Brad Greer, Michael Linden and Janet Rowley Conceived & Developed by Joey Contreras and Jeremiah Downes Musical Staging by Jeremiah Downes Music Supervision by Christopher Ertelt